Thoughts On: Fragrance in Skincare & Origins Night-A-Mins

If you prefer your skincare to be fragrance free you’ll want to pass on the Origins Night-A-Mins. This stuff is highly perfumed. The scent itself is rather glorious. Orangey. But also rather overpowering. It might be the most fragranced skincare product I have ever used.

Have been feeling a little ambivalent toward fragrance in beauty products of late. Part of me loves it, another part wonders if it’s doing harm. We know it’s not doing any good. Fragrance has no efficacy in beauty, it’s just part of the show. Plus, it’s an irritant. Would we be better off without it?

In certain products, the benefits of fragrance clearly outweigh the cons. Bath and shower products, for example. Perfume, obviously. But what about stuff you put on your face?

For certain makeup brands, fragrance is their thing. Think Too Faced and their chocolate and peach collections. But skincare has got to be the category in which the addition of scent makes the least sense. Night time skincare in particular.

So the Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Renewal Cream (£36.50 for 50ml). It feels nice on application. A thick but non-greasy night cream that absorbs quickly. I haven’t noticed any great results with it, but it provides hydration if nothing else. Honestly, the thing I like about it most is the smell. Gives me summer vibes. Like I’m sleeping in an orange grove in Seville.

Which is the thing about fragrance. It sure is powerful. As a trigger of emotions, memories, imagination. But I might try to limit it in my skincare products in future. Though as with so many things that are bad for you, I’m not quite ready to give it up.